Steam Train, 1st Platform
Sounding like a bit of Trainspotting, it essentially was….collecting some more esoteric experiences climbing on a stormy Ben last Saturday. Walking in with an open agenda and a clearly wrong forecast (again) we surveyed the options which were limited and closing as snow was blowing in hard.
We ended up climbing a very icy rock route first climbed in winter by Dave Macleod via a devious alternative line. It was subsequently repeated by strongmen Guy Robertson and Pete Macpherson who climbed the full direct summer line (http://www.scottishwinter.com/?p=4003) …. which we did as it seemed the obvious line on the day.
Keith climbing the pitch done by Guy and Pete….very good climbing!
Conditions were great on the steep sections but very cruddy elsewhere which gave some exciting “untechnical” crux pulls. We descended back to the sacs via Slingsbys Chimney due to the NE Buttress approach being dangerously loaded with windslab….as expected, the chimney avalanched in a spectacular fashion when probed from the safety of an abseil rope.
Adam spreading the weight and faith on some scary crud stuff….
As advertised in the link above the route/crag is a great choice on cold stormy days as the approach is flattish and the descents can be managed by rappel…useful with the snowy windy weather we’ve had.
